Maker Movement Research Paper

The consumer society of the 1950s was presented with machines such as fruit juicers, coffee makers, vacuum cleaners and toasters that eliminated the burden of manual tasks and increased leisure options. Designers and manufacturers continued to appeal to the consumer’s aspirations, by producing streamlined forward-looking products, targeting the “American dream”. In the USA the majority of people aspired for such things as a secure job in a large corporation, a house in a nice suburb, a large family, a large car, and an array of labour saving devices. Designers and Manufacturers targeted this new generation of “homemakers” and consumers.8 Hence, design became undoubtedly linked with mass production and mass consumption. The affluence of the decade famously summed up by British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan as having “never had it so good.” 9

The labor movement focuses on the history of organized labor and the creation of unions for the rights that the working class have today and are still fighting for. The growth and struggle of workers through strikes and boycotts have brought about a lot of change throughout a century but it is still an issue of social change in the U.S. Organizing unions, fighting for the right to representation, struggling against bias and discrimination etc. have affected both men and women from a range of ages and this movement shows that when groups of workers that is very diversified fight for the same cause no matter of gender, age, or race that they can make changes. This movement challenged the markets because there would be no benefits for companies and factories to fire them all and still have the ability to produce a

Recently I heard a story about a mother and child walking through a retail store when the child says to her mother “I want those shoes!” The mother asks “Why do you want those shoes?” to which her daughter responds “Because everyone else is wearing them.” The Mother asks, “Wouldn’t you want to get something different and be more original?” and the child says “No, then I wouldn’t be original like everyone else!” Between the 1920’s and the era of World War II America saw some of its most dramatic cultural shifts since the country’s beginnings. This story of a mother and child expresses the changes that took place in the early half of the 1900’s which made a lasting effect in creating the consumer society we know today. This consumer-centered society that we know was developed by multiple shifts in the American economy and lifestyle. In this essay I will discuss how each the “Roaring Twenties,” the “Great Depression” and the World War II Era each contributed in the way of accelerating or stalling the process of creating an American consumer society.

His movement uses different types of methods of action. They do the usual election action such as canvassing, but also different types of events. Many people from all age groups follow and support Bernie Sanders and participate in his events, from young children who are brought by their parents, to the young Americans who share and express his ideas through the form of memes on social media, to the older generation that have followed Bernie sanders throughout his political career and feel he is a great candidate to be in the white house, and will continue to be a great politician. The movement itself does focus on one major aspect of American society, and it is that of class. There is emphasis placed on lower income families and how they are continually taken advantaged of by the rich and powerful. If a person is in the higher end of society, and works for corporate America, it is easy to say they do not support many of Bernie Sanders ideas nor his movement, as Bernie Sanders will place more taxes and restrictions on wall street speculation and his constant reminder of the “billionaire class” and all of their influence in American politics.

Every high school student is eager to move forward with their educational career once they graduate, for some going to college may be a breeze for the reason that they are financially stable, but for the rest of us like myself we have to go through student loans and debt just to pay off half of the tuition. Growing up in a Hispanic household plays an important role in my academics. I knew that money didn’t grow on trees as well as getting the never ending lectures from your parents about how education is the key to living a successful life. Not only am I fortunate enough to live a different life than my parents did, but considering the fact that Zapata High School offers every student to take college classes as long as they take and pass the

At Mooresville High School during 7 a.m., it’s still dark outside in the cold Hoosier morning air, even though several students have come to school almost an hour before they need to arrive at the latest. The students walk through the long, empty “A” hallway to make their way to one of the very last classrooms, however, the door is still locked, so the students simply wait in the

Movemakers Philly is a gym that is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is the premier hip hop dance after school and summer camp program. Their classes include Preschool and 5-7 yrs Hip Hop Dance, 8-11 years and Teen Hip Hop Dance, Breakin’, Acro and Gymnastics Tumbling, World Percussion, and Adult Programs. MoveMakers Philly caters upbeat classes that develop physical fitness, mental fortitude, social skills, creativity, and cultural understanding.

With the rise of industrialization, globalization, and mass production, the manufacturing productivity has been dramatically increased and accordingly the availability of consumer goods. And with the rise of the mass media, various products have been targeted on broad groups of consumers. Consumerism, which is propelled by a system of mass production and high levels of consumption, has been one of the themes in art works from twentieth century till now.

Home Depot is the largest building supply and home improvement store utilized by contractors and individuals. The store specializes in products and services for construction and home improvement needs. Home Depot’s greatest competitors in our area are Lowes, Juniors and 84 Lumber. My husband as a general contractor, Home Depot is a store we frequently use.  We purchase items from tools, lumber, building supplies, appliances, and lighting, to name a few. Home Depot has an extensive variety of the products, services, and outstanding customer service.  One of Home Depot’s popular services which allows customers to have an experience, is the Do-It-Yourself (DIY). The Do-It-Yourself (DIY) services are for customers that prefer to attend a workshop for specific projects and learn to put those together themselves (Trefls Team, 2015). The most rewarding offerings for us, and I am certain others as well, are the (DIY) kids workshops. We, absolutely love these workshops, raising 2 grandsons, we really enjoy the opportunity to take the boys (ages 1 and 2.5) for age appropriate workshops, to interact with other children and help them build a project. The Do-It-For-Me services are for individuals as well as some professionals that need a product but are not sure of which best suits their customer’s needs (Trefls Team, 2015). The inception of these services has allowed Home Depot to grow at a significant level within the

The author James B. Twitchell identifies consumerism as being the next evolution of our social behavior. “In our postmodern world we have, it seems, exchanged knowledge of history and science for knowledge of products and how such products interlock to form coherent social patterns” he asserts (Twitchell 321). The implication is that, where we used to rely on crafting items and learning skills for ourselves, we instead find that technological progress has now enhanced the means of production to be so efficient that the value we provide to one another now is not by what we can offer, but by what we decide to buy. These purchase trends are used as a means of forming social connections, and I agree. I have personally observed consumption trends lead to social connections. Certain cultures and sub-cultures have specific styles or looks associated with them. Like-minded or similar interested people can easily identify each other. If an individual is impassioned by rap music, he or she consumes certain brands and types of goods that another person, who’s enthusiastic about country music, would refrain from acquiring.

Transactions at a local corner store, the purchase of a fresh cup of coffee in the morning, and the credit card debt accumulated through the buying of miscellaneous objects on the internet, are just a few contributors to the most powerful “ism” that powers America. From the 1920s to the present day America has been driven by consumerism. Consumerism- in its simplest form- is defined as the buying and selling of products. When tracing the evolution of consumerism in America, one must explore many factors that led up to today’s consumerist culture; the economic ups and downs of the 1920s through the 1950s, the anti-consumerist movement in the 1960s, and people’s obsession with material items in modern society.

Modern day people could learn a lot from King Arthur and the 12 Trusts. Today people lie without a thought, are sexist beyond belief, and are all around rude and disrespectful. In the Twelve Trusts it outlines the ways a person should behave towards themselves, and more importantly how you treat other people. If we could take some of the rules from the Twelve Trusts, and applied it to modern day, there wouldn’t be as much conflict or issues among people.

Barbara Kruger’s Untitled (I Shop Therefore I Am) is a visually simple but bold work that evokes postmodern themes including media, popular culture, and consumer cultures. The daring and aggressive red text box draws the viewer’s eye directly to the bold phrase in white font. “Kruger reformulated René Descartes’ philosophical proposition of cognitive existence, ‘I think therefore I am’, into a motto for the hyper-ventilated acquisitive world of the 1980s boom time…” (Engberg). Descartes’ theory implies that as long as an individual is simply thinking there is an active engagement that is occurring that justifies a meaningful existence. Thus, thinking gives substance to an individual’s life. By replacing the word “think” with the word “shop” Kruger is making a social commentary on society’s shift from cognitive value to material value and exposes the tie between consumer culture and personal identity. We are no longer defined by what we think but by what we buy; as a result, our culture has become so overwhelmed with materialism that people have become more reliant on the products that they buy and the materials that they own to define who they are. The contrasting themes of intellectual value versus material value in Kruger’s work instigates the viewer to

My first day at The Craft Academy was very difficult. I remember the night before anxiously sitting up as I was wondering what the future holds for me. Wondering if this is something I could do, leave old friends that I grew up with, and make new ones. I wondered if I could leave my family, and the comfort of knowing after school I get to come back to my home. As a fifteen-year-old kid, these are not normal decisions to make. But they were decisions I had to make. I understood that an opportunity like this only comes once in a lifetime.

Historically speaking, DIY culture started in the 1960’s and 70’s as part of the anti-establishment punk movement. For the digital generation in our society right now, some may be unaware that DIY culture has always been tied to protest and activism, creating alternatives in everyday life. However, the DIY that will be further explored later on is focused more on the modern crafts and technological aspect of the culture as reflected in the 102 YouTube vlog project.